Seal-lock



(No Model.) W I LUDLOW.

SEAL LOOK.

No. 401,286. Patented Apr. 9, 1889."

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UNITED STATES PATENT WASI-IING'ION I. LUDLOIV, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SEAL-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,286, dated April 9,1889.

Application filed October 9, 1888.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WASHINGTON I. LUD- LOW, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State ofOhio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to seal-locks for railway, freight, and other cars,as well as for packages, trunks, and other receptacles. It is thepurpose of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensive seal-lockcapable of attachment to any partof a car-door and doorjamb, or to anyportion of the lid and body of other receptacles, whereby the attempt totamper with the lock will be immediately detected. It is my purpose alsoto provide a seallock which may be readily and easily attached to a caror package, which shall be light and convenient, capable of receivinglarge and plain lettering, and of being easily and instantly broken oropened.

The invention consists in the several novel parts and combinations ofparts hereinafter fully set forth, and then definitely pointed In theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a part of a carshowing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a central horizontalsection of Fig. l on the line a: Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of oneof the lock-plates. Fig. at is a view of thestrip as it is manufacturedfor use. Fig. 5 is a view showing a modified construct-ion.

In the said drawings, the referencenumeral 1 denotes the ear-door, andthe numeral 2 designates the door jamb or casing, these parts being ofany known or suitable construction. To the door, at any point desired,but probably near the bottom, to permit ready access, is applied alock-plate, 3, having a threaded shank, -l, which is screwed into thewood. The body of this plate maybe of any form; but for convenience andcheapness of construction I give it a flattened, rounded, or othershape. In or near the central portion of this body or head is formed aslotor open ing, 5, out completely through the same and having a widthsomewhat in excess of the width of the flat metallic strip, presently tobe described. A similar plate,-ti, constructed Serial No. 287,665. (Nomodel.)

in all respects like that described, is in like manner attached to thejamb or casing 2 in suitable proximity to the plate 3.

The numeral 7 denotes a thin strip of sheet metal, constituting theseal-slip, any kind of malleable metal being suitable for the purpose.The thickness of the slip is preferably not far from the one-hundredthpart of an inch to enable it to be impressed or embossed by a hand-stampof any suitable kind, and the width of the slots 5 is such as to permitthe entrance of the smooth or unembossed portion of said strip. Itslength is such that when introduced in the slot 5 in both plates theends will project more or less beyond the latter, as shown in Fig. 1.

In manufacturing the seal slips they are cut to proper length from along strip, and upon one end of each is embossed or stamped the lettersdenoting the road over which the car runs, or to which it belongs. Theother end of the strip is left plain to enable its insertion in theslots 5 of the plates. After insertion the projecting portion. of theunstamped end is embossed by a hand-stamp with the letters or numeralsor other characters signifying the station atwhich. the sealslip wasattached. If greater security is desired, one or more bars, 7", or otherfigure, may be embossed upon each end of the slip contiguous to theplate. The face of the plate may be provided with a depression, 8,surrounding the slot 5, to guide the entering end of the seal-slip.Moreover, I propose to out the slots 5 of greater length upon the innerface of each plate than upon the outer face to permit a degree ofvertical displacement of the plate in opposite directions withoutrupturing the slip.

Instead of'employing the two separate and independent plates 3, formedwith screwshanks a, I may employ angle-plates 9, which will seat uponthe edge of the door and casing, respectively, where they may befastened by screws or nails. In other respects these angle-plates areconstructed like the disconnected and independ ent plates shown in Figs.1, 2, and 3.

Openings 10 may be provided in' the plates to permit the use of otherforms of locks, if desired. The lock is applicable to freightcar doors,or to trunks, chests, packages, and various receptacles without change.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a seal-lock, the combination of aslotted platerigidly secured to a door-casing, and a similar but independent slottedplate rigidly secured to and movable with an opening and closing door,with a thin straight metallic strip passing through the slots of theplates and having its projecting ends embossed or stamped with lettersor other designs, substantially as described.

2. In a seal -lock, the combination, With plates having slots of greaterlength upon one side than upon the other, of a thin metallic seal-slipinserted in said slots and having its projecting ends embossed withsuitable characters, substantially as described,

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WASHINGTON I. LUDLOW'.

Witnesses:

C. W. OSBORNE, A. G. DOWNING.

